An exception occurred: Cannot open file "GlobalSettings.xml".

[jaygeekay]

Hi,
Things had been working for me until I upgraded to 6.3 but now FFS just does not start. It displays a dialog with the aforementioned message with the information: "Error Code 32: The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process. (CreateFile)"

Details: Windows 7 64bit, and nope, FreeFileSync isn't running already that I can see.

Couple of questions - firstly, anyone know straight off what might have happened :) ?
If not - I found the file in AppData/Roaming and ran unlocker against it - it could find nothing using it.

Any help appreciated, really liked this tool.
Jim.

EDIT: I just tried uninstalling and installing a portable version. Same issue but now I have no idea where the GlobalSettings.xml file might be to have a look at it. I can't see it anywhere.

[blues12]

I cannot find GlobalSettings.xml anymore. But I remember editing it directly, so it must have been in the portable FFS folder in version 6.2

EDIT: Just installed (portable) 6.4 and everything is fine again. GlobalSettings.xml is back in the portable prog folder.

[jaygeekay]

Hi Stefan - I'll try 6.4 and send an update - Thanks, Jim.

EDIT: No 6.4 on sourceforge yet? I found an alternative anyway, not as nice, but it suffices. I'll keep an eye out for newer versions and maybe try them out.

[gtrbob]

This is a permissions problem. I run Linux and my FFS directory is in /opt.
I give group r/w permissions to users so that GlobalSettings.xml is writeable.
I don't believe the file exists until your run FFS the first time. That is probably why you can't find it....

Try installing it as a user-only application (non-ROOT).

[jaygeekay]

Hi Bob - Thanks for the reply. I was actually installing this on Windows. But maybe the same principle applies. Maybe it is a UAC issue. I notice a few other people are seeing it too.

Anyway - I tried out 6.4 (portable installation) and problem is gone for now. Phew :)

[jaygeekay]

OK - just to keep thread up to date, issue is back. 6.4 worked for that first run, and now the issue is back again. Can't startup due to the same error mentioned earlier. I can see the file, I've even allowed everyone full access to it. Noone else is using the file.

I give up for now - *may* try again with 6.5. Very frustrating though. Will have a hunt see if there is anything else of a similar (when working) standard.

Jim.

[Zenju]

Does the problem also occur with the 6.6 beta?
[404, Invalid URL: http://freefilesync.sourceforge.net/FreeFileSync_6.6_beta_Windows_Setup.exe]

[jaygeekay]

Hi Zenju - thanks for the reply - sorry but I just got back to this thread - I'll try the 6.5 Beta now and get back to you.

EDIT: OK - looking really good, I ran it, it worked fine. Stopped it - reran it, worked fine - rebooted and ran it again, all good.

If I come across the issue again, I'll report back.

Thanks for the great work Zenju, delighted to be using this again :)
Jim.

[jaygeekay]

OK - I'm afraid the issue is back again, just tried to run it again for the first time since those succesful runs four days ago. (Maybe it is a date thing - i.e. works for a day?). It was a local installation, so I presume the file is the one in the FreeFileSync install dir? I can open it fine in notepad++. But FFS just displays that error and goes no further. I renamed the file so it would look like it was missing, still get the same message.

If you want me to try anything, let me know.
Jim.

[Zenju]

OK - I'm afraid the issue is back again, just tried to run it again for the first time since those succesful runs four days ago. (Maybe it is a date thing - i.e. works for a day?). It was a local installation, so I presume the file is the one in the FreeFileSync install dir? I can open it fine in notepad++. But FFS just displays that error and goes no further. I renamed the file so it would look like it was missing, still get the same message.

If you want me to try anything, let me know.
Jim.

Can you post a Process Monitor (https://technet.microsoft.com/de-de/sysinternals/bb896645.aspx) trace of the FFS startup for analysis? Maybe there's some conflict with another application...

[jaygeekay]

Hi Zenju - haven't used that before, nice tool though. Wasn't sure what to show, so just tried to put everything in there. If you want something different from it or something more specific, feel free to ask.

Thanks, Jim.

[Attachment was removed! File name: Logfile.7z (706293 bytes)]

[oxsmos]

Seems to bee a regression from version > 6.3, last good version is 6.3 for me. The glitch is not when Freefilesync is started normally but when it is linked, es. I use it with appetizer as a link icon and that's the case where versions > 6.3 break.

[vdebris]

Happens with 6.3 for me. I'm wondering if it might be permission-related and something changed with the last lot of Windows 7 updates. The GlobalSettings.xml error goes away when not running the scheduled task with "highest privileges" -- but of course it can't use volume shadow copy as a normal user.

[jaygeekay]

Hi Zenju - I just tried the 6.6 beta. It started up fine and ran my usual sync operations. But it always runs fine at first. So I will see tomorrow if it is still ok.

Thanks for the help,
Jim.

EDIT: I have used this a couple of times in the last couple of weeks, all looking good, phew. Thanks.

[jaudouy]

Got the same issue using both PortableApps and Liberkey platforms.
I attached the Process Monitor trace (filtered by process name like 'FreeFileSync')

[Attachment was removed! File name: FreeFileSync_Trace.PML (7896719 bytes)]

[jaygeekay]

Dji, have you tried 6.6? It has fixed it for me.

Jim.

[ghostwhowoks]

Hi, I have just upgraded to 6.6 from 5.6 and run into this issue also when using the portable version.

I use PortableApps, and selected the option to install into a subfolder of PortableApps on my USB drive. When I try to use it I get mixed results:

FreeFileSync exe from an explorer window no error.
Start PortableApps and run FreeFileSync from PortableApps menu I get this error.
Open Xplorer2 from PortableApps menu, then open FreeFileSync exe from it I get the error.
Close PortableApps with Xplorer2 still open then open FreeFileSync from it I do not get the error.
Open PortableApps again and still do not get the error when running FreeFileSync from Xplorer2.
Close Xplorer2, open Xplorer2 from PortableApps again and run FreeFileSync exe from Xplorer2 and error is back.

I can consistently get the error if I try to run it from any process that has been started as a decendent of PortableApps (eg PortableApps -> Xplorer2 -> cmd.exe -> batch file etc) while PortableApps is running. When I close PortableApps the error stops when starting FreeFileSync from any of those child processes. The error never occurs if I run FreeFileSync from Explorer.exe, but I believe its process is running before PortableApps is started, so that may be why it isn't having the issue. I haven't tried killing Explorer and restarting it, but that is a bit extreme.

I can move the FreeFileSync folder after portable apps is started, so don't think any files are actually locked. After moving I still get error if I try to run FreeFileSync from the new location, and I also get the error if I try to run it from another thumbdrive which doesn't have PortableApps on it, just the FreeFileSync portable install. So I don't think it is a file permission issue (not in the FreeFileSync folder anyway).

I know this sounds like a PortableApps issue, but it didn't occur with previous FreeFileSync versions (up to 5.6 for me), and it has also reported with other launchers in posts above.

I can get around it by starting Xplorer2 first and loading FreeFileSync from it, but would prefer to be able to load direct from PortableApps.

Cheers

[jaudouy]

Dji, have you tried 6.6? It has fixed it for me.

Jim.

Yes I tried it but not fixed for me.

[fubo]

I simply solved by running FFS as admin (Win7 x64, my user has already admin rights). I installed portable version in a C: subfolder. It tries to create .xml file in local folder, but it refuses due to admin rights. Running as admin works for me.

[udine1981]

I had the same problem and I resolved it by set my user as the proprietary of the file.
His emplacement is : C:\Users\"Your Name"\AppData\Roaming\FreeFileSync

My version is 6.10

Really great soft, otherwise !